A huge golden eagle circled in the sky.
Two figures stood on its back. One was Vice Minister Hua.
The other had fair, fine skin and looked to be in his thirties, but his eyes held a world-weariness that did not match his apparent age.
"Nangong Xun, what are you doing!? Why are you ruining my plans!?"
Vice Minister Hua's face was livid, his aura surging.
Nangong Xun stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm. At those words, he merely chuckled.
"Don't be so impatient, Vice Minister Hua. Choosing to cooperate with Ji Tianming was a foolish move.
"The Third Rank from the Divine Guard Office has already fled after we joined forces to gravely wound him. As long as we keep Ji Tianming here and kill all those Jingxiao Bandits on Wuheng Mountain who came from the Divine Guard Office,
"we'll have rendered a great service this time. Ji Tianming is a survivor of a destroyed sect. He isn't worth trusting, and there's no need to play along with him.
"Over the years, they've plundered countless valuables within Rong State's borders, taking the equivalent of a full year's tax revenue every year.
"That should be twenty million taels of silver a year, shouldn't it?
"Who knows how much wealth they've amassed over all these years? We need to make them cough it all up, down to the last scrap!"
"That explanation doesn't hold water. You were merely summoned by the Ministry of War. How dare you ruin my schemes?"
Vice Minister Hua narrowed his eyes slightly.
"A Third Rank from a sect dares interfere in my affairs without permission?"
"Before I came, the minister had a long discussion with me. In fact, he doesn't approve of you bargaining with a tiger and then letting it return